A Night of Controversy and Chemistry at the Tortuga Music Festival
Riley Green, a rising star in the country music scene, made headlines during his performance at Florida’s Tortuga Music Festival over the weekend. The event, which drew thousands of fans to Fort Lauderdale, became the stage for a series of personal remarks that sparked mixed reactions from the audience.
Green, who headlined Saturday evening, began his set by addressing the crowd with a candid tone. “Well, I hate to do this to y’all but I’ve got to bring the mood down a little bit,” he said before launching into a song about an ex-girlfriend. The track, titled Damn Good Day to Leave, was met with a mix of laughter and applause as fans recognized the reference to a past relationship.
A few minutes later, Green returned to the stage and once again brought up the topic of his ex, this time introducing another song called Rather Be. “This one’s about all them times when she was chewing me out and I was thinking about all of the places I’d rather be,” he explained. While he didn’t explicitly name the person, many speculated that he was referencing Sophia Sansone, a former music executive with whom he had a tumultuous three-year relationship.
The couple first appeared together at the 2022 CMT Music Awards, but their relationship reportedly ended on a sour note. Sansone, 31, has since shared her perspective on social media, describing the relationship as “a mess” and stating that she felt she was “trying to hold on to those very far and few between good moments.” She also appeared on Probably a Podcast last December, where she reflected on how the relationship changed over time. “The reality of it is that I was in a relationship with somebody that I don’t even know who he was,” she said.
While Green’s comments about his ex were met with some amusement, the night took a different turn when he mentioned his grandfather’s love for Alabama football. “This next song is about my [grandfather]… he was a big fan of three things in this world: He loved Alabama football…” His words were met with a wave of boos from the Florida audience, who were not fans of the rival team.
In an attempt to win back the crowd, Green quipped, “The truth is you don’t have to be an Alabama fan to like this song, you have to simply not be a Tennessee fan, which is real easy to do.” He then tried to gauge the audience’s preferences by shouting out several teams, which resulted in a mix of boos and cheers.
Later in the day, other acts such as The Fray, Tyler Hubbard, and Colbie Caillat entertained crowds across multiple stages. The festival, sponsored in part by Bacardi Rum, also featured headliners like Post Malone and Kenny Chesney, along with performances from Ice Cube and Dustin Lynch.
Despite the controversy surrounding his remarks, Green remained focused on his music, performing hits with his duet partner Ella Langley. Although Langley was not present at the Tortuga Music Festival, Green still played their chart-topping songs, which had the audience singing along.
In addition to his personal life, Green has also been involved in a high-profile love triangle with Langley and breakout star Megan Moroney. Rumors of a romantic connection between Green and Moroney surfaced after they were spotted together on vacation. However, both have maintained that their relationship is strictly platonic. “Just because we’re hanging out doesn’t mean we’re romantically dating,” Moroney told Rolling Stone.
Green has publicly stated that he is currently single, though his recent performances and public comments continue to draw attention. As the festival came to a close, fans left with a mix of memories—some positive, others more controversial.
